7 Best Restaurants in The Florida Keys, Florida

Authentic southern Italian cuisine, with freshly made Neapolitan (Naples-style) pizza, pastas, and desserts is the focus here. A nicely landscaped garden with a cute Fiat decked out in the colors of the Italian flag should alert you to founders Tony and Isis Wright's obsession with detail. All the ingredients are imported from Italy, including the tomato sauce and olive oil, and master pizzaiolo Leopoldo Figlioli churns out pies with chewy crusts that are nicely blistered from the brick oven. 

Dishes such as ahi poke and lobster-crusted mahimahi nod to executive chef Pavy Keomaniboth’s native Hawaii. The spectacular indoor–outdoor setting features coconut palms strung with lights and panoramic sunset views. The extensive cocktail menu carries on the pan-Asian theme by incorporating fresh, tropical fruit with infused liquors that embody the flavors of the Hawaiian tropics. Non-resort guests are welcome, but reservations are encouraged.

This tiny counter-service restaurant is the best-kept secret in Islamorada, with the tastiest and most affordable ($11) grouper Reuben sandwich in the Keys. It's a small place—with six tables inside, a bar overlooking the kitchen, and an outdoor patio—and most diners are locals. The menu ranges from fresh seafood to excellent pizza. Don't miss the meatballs.

The inviting aroma of an Italian kitchen pervades this family-owned favorite. For lunch there are fish and steak entrées served with fries, salad, and bread in addition to Italian specialties; dinner features veal Oscar and other traditional dishes, as well as specialties like seafood Italiano, a dish of scallops and shrimp sautéed in garlic butter and served with marinara sauce over linguine.

This longtime favorite serves large portions of homemade pastas that can be matched with any of the homemade sauces. Tables are arranged in a brick garden hung with twinkling lights and in a cozy, casual dining room in an old house. Everything out of the open kitchen is outstanding, including the bollito misto di mare (fresh seafood sautéed with garlic, shallots, white wine, and pasta) or the memorable spaghettini "schmappellini," homemade pasta with asparagus, tomatoes, pine nuts, and Parmesan. The wine list—with more than 350 offerings—includes old and rare vintages, and also has a good by-the-glass selection.

Pizzas are the star of the show at this bustling trattoria a short walk from the Duval fray. The kitchen churns out a variety of Neopolitan pies from its 2-ton wood-fired oven made of bricks and stones from Mt. Vesuvius. Pastas run the gamut from gnocchi to buccatini done cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper) style. Antipasti and salads round out the lengthy menu.

Sister restaurant to Blue Heaven, this colorful establishment sits on Higgs Beach, giving it one of the island's best lunch views—and a bit of sand and salt spray on a windy day. The intriguing menu is Italian with a Caribbean flair and will not disappoint. For dinner, popular dishes include linguine with mussels, lasagna, and white bean soup. At lunch the gazpacho refreshes and the yellowtail sandwich will having you singing "Amore."